Toilet urinal

ABSTRACT

A device is attached to a toilet bowl seat, and has an inlet, an outlet and a body portion. The inlet is shaped as a funnel. The toilet bowl seat includes a central opening and an upper surface that can support a seated user thereon. The body portion is disposed on an underside of the toilet bowl seat, such that the inlet is at the front, and the outlet is disposed over the bowl of the toilet. The inlet faces radially outward from the toilet bowl. The body portion is connected to the inlet funnel, and is formed as a hollow tubular body which is in communication with the outlet. The toilet bowl seat is connected to the toilet bowl via a hinge that allows a user to select the angle of the toilet bowl seat relative to the toilet bowl.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the priority of Provisional Application No.62/337,403 filed on May 17, 2016, inventor Francisco Valdez, entitled“TOILET URINAL”. The entire disclosure of this provisional patentapplication is hereby incorporated by reference thereto, in itsentirety.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a urinal device, and particularly to adevice which can be attached to an existing commode.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is a problem in the art to provide a urinal device for an existingcommode or toilet of the type having a bowl, hinged seat, and watertank.

It is a problem to provide a device that can be retrofit to existingcommodes and toilets, to collect urine reliably. Specifically, it is aproblem to provide a device that can collect urine without splashing,for example, and prevents missing the bowl of the commode when the useris in the dark or low light conditions.

This invention relates to improvements in toilet bowl seats. Whileurinating into an open toilet bowl, men may have difficultly aiming ormay be worried about excess urine splashing out of the bowl. Urine cansplash from time to time and land on the floor, creating an unsanitarymess in the bathroom. Men may miss entirely and urinate on the toiletseat or the floor. Further, urinating into a toilet typically causesloud noises which can be embarrassing if a person has company at theirhome. There exists a need for a device that can direct urine into thetoilet bowl from a standing position.

It is a problem to provide a device that solves the foregoing problemsin the art that is reliable, convenient, and that can be attached to anexisting commode or toilet.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

From the foregoing, it is seen that it is a problem in the art toprovide a device meeting the above requirements. According to thepresent invention, a device is provided which meets the aforementionedrequirements and needs in the prior art. Specifically, the deviceaccording to the present invention provides a device to that can beretrofit to existing commodes and toilets, to collect urine reliably.More specifically, the present invention can collect urine withoutsplashing, for example, and prevents missing the bowl of the commodewhen the user is in the dark or low light conditions.

The device of the present invention provides a device that is attachedto a toilet bowl seat, the device having an inlet, an outlet and a bodyportion. The inlet is shaped as a funnel. The toilet bowl seat includesa central opening and an upper surface that can support a seated userthereon. The body portion is disposed on an underside of the toilet bowlseat, such that the inlet is at the front, and the outlet is disposedover the bowl of the toilet. The inlet faces radially outward from thetoilet bowl. The body portion is connected to the inlet funnel, and isformed as a hollow tubular body which is in communication with theoutlet. The toilet bowl seat is connected to the toilet bowl via a hingethat allows a user to select the angle of the toilet bowl seat relativeto the toilet bowl.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be morereadily apparent from the following detailed description when read inconjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a bottom elevational view of a toilet seat having theinventive tubing attached to it, according to the present invention, thetubing having a funnel to receive urine.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view taken along the plane of the toiletseat of FIG. 1, showing the inventive tubing on the underside of theseat; the seat is shown as it would be resting on a commode in the downposition.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the underside of the toilet seat when itis raised at a slight angle, showing both the front and the underside ofthe seat along with the inventive device attached to the underside ofthe toilet seat.

FIG. 4 is a right side elevational view of the toilet seat of FIGS. 1-3,showing the seat in a partially raised position of around 45 degreesrelative to its normal resting position on a commode.

FIG. 5 is a schematic left side elevational view of the seat of FIGS.1-4 in the lowered position (in solid outline), and also showing theseat in a raised position (in dashed outline).

FIG. 6 is a schematic front elevational view of a further embodiment,showing the commode, a water tank, and a conduit for carrying water fromthe water tank to the toilet urinal device of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a schematic side elevational view of the tube of FIG. 6 as itis connected to the toilet urinal device of FIGS. 1-5.

FIG. 8 is a schematic top elevational view of the conduit as it isconnected to the toilet urinal as shown in FIG. 7, showing theconnection of the conduit and the water flow direction.

FIG. 9A is a side elevational view of the conduit, partially brokenaway, showing the portion that is disposed inside the urinal device, inwhich passages or holes are shown.

FIG. 9B is an enlarged close up view of a portion of the urinal deviceof FIG. 8, showing the conduit in dashed outline and includes arrowsschematically showing the water flow.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is a bottom elevational view of a toilet seat 10 having a toileturinal 20 attached to it. The toilet seat 10 has an underside 12 and anopening 14. The toilet urinal 20 is a device that is attached to theunderside 12 of the toilet seat 20, the device 20 having an inlet end22, an outlet end 26, and a body portion 24.

This invention relates to improvements in toilet bowl seats. Whileurinating into an open toilet bowl, men may have difficultly aiming ormay be worried about excess urine splashing out of the bowl. Urine cansplash from time to time and land on the floor, creating an unsanitarymess in the bathroom. Men may miss entirely and urinate on the toiletseat or the floor. Further, urinating into a toilet typically causesloud noises which can be embarrassing if a person has company at theirhome. There exists a need for a device that can direct urine into thetoilet bowl from a standing position.

The inlet end 22 is shaped as a funnel. The toilet seat 10 includes thecentral opening 14 and has an upper surface 18 (shown in FIG. 2) thatcan support a seated user thereon. The toilet urinal 20 is disposed onthe underside 18 of the toilet bowl seat 10, such that the inlet end 22is disposed at the front, e.g. the side closest to the user in normaluse. The outlet end 26 is disposed over the bowl 50 of the toilet (seeFIG. 5), such that liquid flows from the body portion 24 to the outletend 26 and into the bowl 50.

The inlet end 22 faces radially outward from the toilet bowl, that is,toward the user when the user is standing in a usual position forurination. The inlet end 22 receives urine, which flows into the bodyportion 24.

In the preferred embodiment, the toilet bowl seat is connected to thetoilet bowl via a hinge that allows a user to select the angle of thetoilet bowl seat relative to the toilet bowl. Such hinges are known inthe commode and toilet arts, and allow the toilet seat to be raisedmanually by the user to a desired angle, such that the toilet seatremains at that desired angle during use.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view taken along the plane of the toiletseat 10 of FIG. 1, showing the inventive toilet urinal 20 disposed onthe underside 12 of the seat 10; the seat 10 is shown as it would beresting on a commode in a “down” position (i.e., the position a userwould employ when seated on the commode).

As shown in FIG. 2, the inlet end 22 has an enlarged entrance opening28, serving as a funnel for receiving a urine stream during use. Theuser can raise the seat 10 to a desired angle, and can stand proximateto the entrance opening to direct the urine stream into the entranceopening 28. Here, the upper surface 18 of the seat 10 is shown. Thetoilet urinal 20, having the body portion 24, can be secured to theunderside 12 of the seat 10 in any known manner, such as by adhesive,glue, ultrasonic welding, fastener elements such as screws or bolts,snap fastener elements, straps (not shown), or any other manner ofsecuring the toilet urinal 20 to the seat 10 which would be known to anyone having skill in the manufacturing arts or plumbing arts.

As seen in FIG. 2, the entrance opening 28 is generally rectangular, andthe present invention is not limited to this shape. Instead, theentrance opening 28 can have any other enlarged shape adapted to receivea urine stream, including circular, oval, square, and other symmetricaland asymmetrical shapes. The body portion 24 is shown as a tubularconduit such as plastic or rubber tubing, and the invention is notlimited to these shapes or materials. Other cross sectional shapes canbe used, and any suitable materials capable of serving as a urineconduit can be used, including copper, iron, plated metal, stainlesssteel, coated materials, and any other materials which would be known toany one having skill in the manufacturing arts or plumbing arts.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the underside 12 of the toilet seat 10when it is raised at an angle, showing both the front and the undersideof the seat 10 along with the inventive device 20 attached to theunderside 12 of the toilet seat 10. In this view, the outlet end 26 isshown which includes a downwardly bend end that opens directly into thetoilet bowl 30 (shown in FIG. 4).

FIG. 4 is a right side elevational view of the toilet seat of FIGS. 1-3,showing the seat 10 in a partially raised position relative to itsnormal resting position on the toilet bowl 30. In the presentdiscussion, the term commode is used interchangeably with toilet bowl.In this view, the front end is at the left side, and the rear end of theseat 10 is at the right side of the drawing.

The bowl 10 is shown broken away at the lower end. A hinge 40 is shownin FIG. 4, for connecting the seat 10 to a mounting fixture (not shown)supported on the bowl 30 that is of a type common to all toilets havinga hinged seat. Any such mounting fixture can be used which would beknown to any one having skill in the toilet arts.

FIG. 5 is a schematic left side elevational view of the seat 10 of FIGS.1-4 in the lowered position (in solid outline), and also showing theseat 10 in a raised position (in dashed outline). Here, a bowl 50 isshown having water 60 therein (shown schematically in FIG. 5). Here, thedownward flow of urine is shown by an arrow located at the outlet end26, showing the urine flowing into the water 60 in the bowl 50.

FIG. 6 is a schematic front elevational view of a further embodiment,showing the bowl 50, a water tank 70, and a conduit 90 for carryingwater from the water tank 70 to the toilet urinal device 20 of thepresent invention. The conduit 90 communicates with the interior of thetoilet urinal 20, for example by penetrating one side of the toileturinal 20 near the inlet end 22 or in the body portion 24.

Here, the conduit 90 takes water from a toilet valve 80 (for example ofa type that provides water to the toilet bowl when the toilet isflushed). The conduit then supplies the water to the interior of thetoilet urinal 20. This way, when the user has finished, operation of theflush valve (not shown) of the toilet activates the valve 80 to dispensewater to the bowl 50 and to the conduit 90. The conduit 90 can bedisposed to collect water from the valve 80 in any manner which would beknown to one having skill in the plumbing arts and in the toilet arts.

FIG. 7 is a schematic side elevational view of the conduit 90 of FIG. 6as it is connected to the toilet urinal 20 of FIGS. 1-5.

FIG. 8 is a schematic top elevational view of the conduit 90 as it isconnected to the toilet urinal 20 as shown in FIG. 7, showing theconnection of the conduit 90 and also the water flow direction when inoperation (i.e., when the toilet is flushed). The water flow isschematically shown by arrows in FIG. 7. The water from the flush valve80 is supplied as flushing water through the conduit 90, into the bodyportion 24, through the outlet end 26 and into the bowl 50 (shown inFIG. 6).

As seen in FIG. 8, the conduit 90 passes through the wall 24 of theurinal device 20 and extends along the interior of the urinal device 20.The conduit 90 has a plurality of holes in the portion that is interiorto the urinal device 20 as shown in FIG. 8. The conduit 90 extends to alocation near the outlet end 26 of the urinal device 20. In use, watersupplied to the conduit 90 is distributed along the interior of theurinal device 20 so that it flushes and cleans the interior thereof.Thus, as discussed above, flushing of the toilet causes a flushing ofthe urinal device 20.

FIG. 9A is a side elevational view of the conduit 90, partially brokenaway, showing the portion that is disposed inside the urinal device 20.Here, the passages or holes 92 are shown. The size, pattern, anddistribution of holes 92 can be varied, and such variations arecontemplated as being within the scope of the present invention.

FIG. 9B is an enlarged close up view of a portion of the urinal device20 of FIG. 8, showing the conduit 90 in dashed outline and includesarrows schematically showing the water flow from the holes 92 as well asalong the interior of the conduit 90.

The invention being thus described, it will be evident that the same maybe varied in many ways by a routineer in the applicable arts. Suchvariations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit andscope of the invention and all such modifications are intended to beincluded within the scope of the claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A toilet urinal for attachment to a toilet bowlseat, comprising: a body portion; an inlet end; and an outlet end;wherein said inlet is shaped as a funnel.
 2. The toilet urinal of claim1, wherein the toilet bowl seat includes a central opening and an uppersurface that can support a seated user thereon, and wherein the toiletbowl seat has a front portion and a rear portion; and wherein said bodyportion is disposed on an underside of the toilet bowl seat such thatsaid inlet end is at the front portion of the toilet seat, and theoutlet end is disposed near the rear portion of the toilet and angled ina direction downwardly into a toilet bowl disposed below the toiletseat.
 3. The toilet urinal of claim 1, wherein said inlet end facesradially outward from the toilet bowl seat.
 4. The toilet urinal ofclaim 1, wherein said inlet end faces radially outward from the toiletbowl seat, and wherein said body portion is connected to the inletfunnel, and is formed as a hollow tubular body which is in communicationwith said outlet.
 5. The toilet urinal of claim 1, wherein said toiletbowl seat is connected to the toilet bowl via a hinge that allows a userto select the angle of the toilet bowl seat relative to the toilet bowl.6. The toilet urinal of claim 1, further comprising a conduit having afirst end connected to a toilet flush valve and having a second endcommunicating with an interior of said body portion, whereby duringflushing water flows from the toilet flush valve through said conduitand into said body portion.